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All babies will get some wind. Just as adults do, their stomachs create gases whilst they are digesting. Some babies, get A LOT of wind. They’ll be squirming, screaming and uncomfortable. If your baby is one of those who never seems settled, cries whenever you put them down, is fussy, perhaps suffers from reflux or frequent vomiting, then here are five easy tips you can use to help improve their wind and calm your baby.

1. Deal with feeding issues

I cannot stress this enough. If your baby is consistently struggling with wind, trapped wind, reflux or vomiting,  then there’s something going on with their feeding. A shallow latch, poor seal at the breast or bottle, tongue tie, nipple shields jaw tension, torticollis, or oversupply could all be contributing to your baby’s wind and discomfort. So definitely get some skilled support with feeding. You can book a consultation with me here.

2. Massage

Massage is amazing for helping clear trapped gas, as well as keeping the gut working well and easing digestive discomfort. How to do a tummy massage:

  1. Always make sure your baby is quiet, alert and content. Don’t give them a massage when they’re uncomfortable and crying. If their tummy muscles are tense from crying, your massage won’t actually stimulate the gut and will have very little effect. Think of it is a pre-emptive thing, rather than something to be used when baby is actually uncomfortable.
  2. Lay baby on a comfortable, flat surface (this can simply be a blanket/towel on the floor in front of you). Make sure baby is safe and isn’t going to roll (from a table for instance – the floor is the safest place).
  3. Undress baby, and remove their nappy. Make sure the room is warm. You can leave the nappy underneath them or place baby on a towel or puppy pad in case they wee.
  4. Use a small amount of coconut or sunflower oil on your hands, and start massaging in circular motions on baby’s tummy from the height of their belly button, downwards and around. Make sure you always massage clockwise, this is the direction food and milk passes through their intestines.
  5. You can then move to a scooping stroke using a flat hand, across baby’s tummy, with your little finger near baby’s belly button. Stroke downwards, lift that hand off and then repeat the same motion with the other hand.
  6. Try including some gentle exercises with baby’s legs. For example, try bicycle motions or bring baby’s knees up to tummy and rock gently.
  7. Repeat the cycle of clockwise massage, downward strokes, bicycle legs and knees to tummy. You can use a massage sequence like this a couple of times a day. This will help to clear gas, and keep their digestive system in top form! For more on thi,s get in touch with Alissa for 1:1 Baby Massage Courses. 

3. Baby Wearing

Windy babies LOVE to be upright. Combine this with constant movement as you walk/bend/move around and it’s a recipe for success when it comes to a windy unsettled baby. With a newborn you can start with a stretchy wrap. Then move to a more structured carrier once your baby is around three months old. Your little one can nap, and even breastfeed in a carrier. Keeping them upright will help ease discomfort from wind and in particular, reflux. The constant movement will help them to burp, and you’ll have your hands free!

4. Try wonky winding

If you’ve been holding your baby straight upright to wind them, you’ve been missing a trick! Wonky Winding is the way to go when it comes to dealing with that trapped gas.

Your baby’s stomach isn’t a symmetrical shape. You can see in the picture to the right, there’s a little pouch up the top, above where the oesophagus (food pipe) enters the stomach. Air bubbles will always try to rise to the top, so they often get trapped in this area of the stomach. Rather than positioning your baby upright to wind them, if you place them on an angle with their head over your right shoulder, and body on a diagonal to your left side, it positions this little ‘pouch’ lower than the opening to the oesophagus. This allows those air bubbles to rise up and out!

5. Pace & space their feedings

When babies are breastfed, they’re pretty good at controlling the flow of milk to naturally pace the feed. But if your baby isn’t latching well or has a tongue tie, they won’t be able to do

 this as well. This makes them far more prone to feeding too quickly, struggling with milk flow (you might see them cough or splutter while feeding), and suffering from discomfort or reflux as a result.

If your baby is bottle fed (or having bottle top-ups of formula or breast milk), it’s super important that you pace their feeds:

  1. Sit baby in almost an upright position to feed, at about a 45 degree angle. This makes it possible for your baby to control the flow and makes sure they’re actively sucking to feed rather than just allowing the milk to drip into their mouths.
  2. Position the bottle parallel to the floor, and stroke down your baby’s nose and mouth to encourage them to open their mouth and take the bottle in, rather than forcing it in.
  3. Take regular breaks at least a couple of times during the feed to allow them to bring up wind.

If your baby is still struggling with wind, or any aspect of their feeding even after trying these tips then get in touch with an infant feeding specialist for 1:1 support to explore other causes and assess their feeding. You can book an appointment with Alissa here.

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